Like we didn't know.

I read an article in Forbes online today that says that PC owners who have an iPod are more likely to buy a Mac than PC owners who don't.

Which seems pretty fundamental to me, but since Forbes thought it was news enough to turn into an article, let me take you through the logic of what Apple is up to.

First, the Macintosh operating system is superior to Windows. Oh, stop whining all you hardcore PC people. It is. It's easier, more efficient (unless you like writing code), and prettier. People who say PCs are every bit as good as Macs are the same people who say a Ford is every bit as good as a Mercedes. Yes, both machines will operate to the limits that are imposed by either the operator or the law, but in both cases one simply feels better.

The problem is, most PC people have no clue how much nicer it feels to work on a Mac. Their offices are dominated by PCs and besides, everybody knows that Macs are more expensive. So why even bother going into the showroom?

Here's an idea. What if there were another way to get people into the showroom? Say, a hot little music gizmo that we promise promise promise will work with your PC?

Sure, millions of people buy their iPods in other places. But millions of people also buy them in an Apple Store or the Apple site. And they also go to there for accessories. And to browse at whatever the new iPod gadget/style/color/accessory might be.

"Hmmm," they say. "Those snappy Macs sure are pretty. But everybody knows they're expensive. And besides, I already have a computer, complete wtih keyboard, monitor, and software."

So Apple introduces the mini Mac. For $500, you get a Mac that works with your keyboard, mouse, and monitor. It comes loaded with all those snazzy Apple programs. And you can always plug in your other CPU for the stuff you're already doing.

$500 is not a lot of money for a computer. But to a lot of people, it's still a luxury, not a necessity. Hard to justify dropping that kind of coin on a new machine when there's a perfectly functional PC in the house.

So Apple switches to the Intel chip. What that means is that a mini Mac will run both the Mac OS and Windows. No PC can do that because Apple won't license the operating system. In other words, when you buy a Mac, you get a Mac without compromise. No cobbled together machine that runs an operating system but looks like dog doo doo.

The only issue is timing. Apple couldn't switch to Intel until some sort of security could be built into the chip that would prevent unauthorized versions of the OS from running on non-Mac machines. Apparently, that day has come. it should have come three years ago, so that Apple could unveil an Intel mini Mac before this Christmas. Or at the latest, next Christmas.

But then, maybe they're way ahead of us on that. So far, they're pretty damn smart. I'm heavily invested in Apple already, but I'm going to buy more. As soon as I get back from Turkey.